Newcastle and Sunderland fined by FA

Newcastle and Sunderland have been fined after admitting a Football Association charge of failing to control their players during a stormy Tyne-Wear derby clash earlier this month.

The Magpies have been punished to the tune of £40,000 as it was their second incident of a similar nature this season, while the Wearsiders will have to pay £20,000, the FA has confirmed. Both clubs have also been warned as to their future conduct.

An FA statement said: "Newcastle United and Sunderland have been fined £40,000 and £20,000 respectively after both clubs admitted a charge of failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour.

"The incident, which also saw both teams being warned as to their future conduct, occurred in the 19th minute of their game on March 4, 2012 and followed a challenge by Sunderland's James McClean on Newcastle's Danny Simpson.

"As this is Newcastle United's second misconduct charge of a similar nature in the same season, the standard punishment fine has been doubled in line with current regulations.''

Simpson reacted angrily to McClean's challenge, sparking a melee in which every player apart from Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet was involved to some degree.

Most appeared to be attempting to calm the situation as referee Mike Dean attempted to restore order, although both clubs were charged in the aftermath of a game which raised more than its fair share of talking points.

Sunderland had two men - striker Stephane Sessegnon and skipper Lee Cattermole - sent off, the latter after the final whistle had sounded as substitute Shola Ameobi snatched a point with an injury-time strike which cancelled out Nicklas Bendtner's first-half penalty.

The two benches also clashed on several occasions with Magpies boss Alan Pardew later apologising for celebrating the award of a late penalty, which Papiss Cisse saw saved by Mignolet, in front of counterpart Martin O'Neill.

Both Newcastle and Arsenal were fined £30,000 for a similar offence in August last year after a mass confrontation when striker Gervinho hit out at Joey Barton and was dismissed during a 0-0 draw on Tyneside.